For nearly two decades, Everett E. Garnto Jr. stood proudly under the blue banner of the Democratic Party.
He campaigned beside them.
He governed with them.
He wore the label as a badge of loyalty — until now.
On Thursday night, inside a packed high school gymnasium in Garfield, New Jersey, the mayor stood before a cheering crowd and did something no one in his city’s political establishment ever thought he would do.
He walked away.
“The state is broken,” Garnto declared, his voice echoing through the rafters.
“New Jerseyans deserve better. Jack Ciattarelli is ready to turn this state around.”
The crowd erupted — hundreds of locals, many clutching handmade signs reading “Ciattarelli for Governor” and “Save New Jersey.”
It was the moment that marked a political earthquake in the Garden State.
A Mayor’s Breaking Point
Garfield, the fifth-largest municipality in Bergen County, has long leaned Democratic.
In 2021, Governor Phil Murphy barely held the city — winning by just three percentage points.
But by 2024, the winds had shifted.
Donald Trump carried Garfield by nearly nine points in the presidential election, and quiet discontent with state leadership was starting to boil over.
Garnto, a lifelong Democrat, said the turning point came not from one issue, but from a slow-burning frustration that had reached a breaking point.
“For the last seven and a half years, Phil Murphy’s policies have left us with sky-high taxes, soaring electric bills, and less safe communities,” Garnto told the crowd. “The people I represent — working families, small business owners, seniors on fixed incomes — they’re hurting. And Trenton doesn’t seem to care.”
He paused, then added quietly:
“It’s time for something different.”
With that, Mayor Garnto formally announced his departure from the Democratic Party and his endorsement of Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli for governor.
A Shock to the System
Garnto’s switch is not merely symbolic — it’s historic.
Bergen County has been a Democratic stronghold for decades, home to suburban professionals and union households that typically vote blue.
But something is changing.
In interviews with local voters after the rally, the sentiment was unmistakable.
“I’ve been a Democrat my whole life,” said 62-year-old resident Michael Bianchi. “But this state is choking us. Taxes, insurance, electric bills, everything. I don’t recognize the party anymore.”
“It’s not about left or right,” said a small business owner named Ana Rodriguez. “It’s about survival. People are leaving New Jersey because they can’t afford to live here.”
Her voice trembled slightly.
“I’m not sure if Ciattarelli is the answer. But I know what’s not working.”
Who Is Jack Ciattarelli?
For many outside the state, Jack Ciattarelli may sound like a new face — but in New Jersey politics, he’s anything but.
A former state assemblyman and lifelong resident of the state, Ciattarelli ran a surprisingly competitive campaign in 2021 against Governor Murphy, losing by just three points — one of the closest gubernatorial races in New Jersey in decades.
Now, in 2025, he’s back — and this time, he’s no underdog.
Flanked by a coalition of union leaders, small-town mayors, and even disaffected Democrats like Garnto, Ciattarelli has positioned himself as the candidate of the frustrated middle.
At Thursday’s rally, he returned the favor.
“Everett Garnto represents exactly what this race is about,” Ciattarelli said, his voice rising. “He’s a man who’s not afraid to stand up and say, ‘Enough.’ Enough with the taxes. Enough with the bureaucracy. Enough with being told that New Jersey’s decline is normal. It’s not. We deserve better.”
The crowd roared its approval.
“The State Is Broken” — And Voters Know It
Polls show that Garnto isn’t alone in his disillusionment.
A September 22–23 Emerson College survey of 935 likely voters revealed what political observers are calling a “dead heat.”
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Jack Ciattarelli (R): 43%
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Mikie Sherrill (D): 43%
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Undecided: 11%
It’s the clearest sign yet that the 2025 New Jersey governor’s race is one of the most competitive in the nation.
More importantly, it exposes a growing split among Democrats — particularly working-class voters and independents who once formed the foundation of their coalition.
The poll found that 54% of voters believe New Jersey is on the wrong track, with a majority of those voters backing Ciattarelli.
Even more striking:
Independent voters — traditionally a key swing bloc — have broken toward the Republican by a double-digit margin.
“New Jersey is bleeding people, jobs, and hope,” Ciattarelli told the audience. “We can’t keep pretending things are fine while families pack up and move to Pennsylvania, the Carolinas, and Florida. That’s not leadership — that’s denial.”
Cracks in the Democratic Wall
Mayor Garnto isn’t the first Democrat to abandon the party in recent months.
Earlier this summer, Dover Mayor James P. Dodd, another Democrat, also announced his support for Ciattarelli, citing “rising costs and failed leadership.”
Even former Democratic Assemblyman Jamel Holley, a respected figure in central New Jersey politics, crossed party lines to endorse Ciattarelli, calling his campaign “the right way forward.”
And it’s not just elected officials.
Labor is moving too.
In June, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825, representing more than 7,000 workers, officially endorsed Ciattarelli — a rare move for a traditionally Democratic-aligned union.
Union president Greg Lalevee explained the decision simply:
“Jack understands New Jersey. He listens. He’s pragmatic. And he’s not afraid to support energy projects that create real jobs — not just promises.”
The endorsement marked a turning point in the race, signaling that economic pragmatism is replacing partisan loyalty in one of the bluest states in the country.
The Trump Factor
Ciattarelli’s campaign also received a powerful boost from former President Donald Trump, who endorsed him earlier this month.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump praised Ciattarelli as “tough on crime and cutting taxes,” calling him “a GREAT Governor-in-waiting.”
The post quickly went viral, with Trump’s supporters flooding Ciattarelli’s campaign website, helping raise over $3 million in small-dollar donations in just 48 hours.
“Jack Ciattarelli will fight for New Jersey,” Trump wrote. “He will stop the madness of open borders, men in women’s sports, and the woke policies that have destroyed our cities.”
Though Ciattarelli has occasionally tried to strike a more moderate tone, the Trump endorsement has solidified his base — while giving him the name recognition and momentum needed to make the race a true toss-up.
Sherrill’s Struggle
Meanwhile, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair), the Democratic nominee and a former Navy helicopter pilot, faces mounting challenges of her own.
While she remains a popular figure among suburban progressives, her campaign has struggled to energize working-class voters — the same demographic that once helped Democrats dominate New Jersey politics.
In a recent debate, Sherrill defended her record and promised to “drive down your cost at every level.”
But Ciattarelli fired back hard, accusing her of hypocrisy and pointing to reports from the New York Times and Business Insider alleging she failed to disclose certain stock trades in defense and tech companies while serving in Congress.
“If you can’t even follow your own ethics rules,” Ciattarelli said, “why should anyone trust you to run this state?”
Sherrill denied wrongdoing, but the exchange left her visibly rattled.
The Mood of the Electorate
Across the state, the mood is one of fatigue — and frustration.
A National Research Inc. poll conducted in June showed that a majority of voters believe the state is headed in the wrong direction.
Property taxes remain among the highest in the nation.
Electric bills have climbed.
And many New Jersey residents say they feel left behind by Trenton’s policies.
“It’s not just about politics anymore,” said resident Samantha Leone. “It’s about survival. My family’s grocery bill has doubled in two years. My property taxes went up again. I don’t care who fixes it — I just need someone who will.”
That sentiment — nonpartisan, emotional, and economic — may be the most powerful political force of all.
A State on Edge
With the election just weeks away, both campaigns are mobilizing aggressively.
Ciattarelli has launched what his team calls the “Jersey Comeback Bus Tour,” visiting small towns, diners, and suburban neighborhoods across the state.
Sherrill’s team, meanwhile, has focused on larger rallies with national Democrats, emphasizing abortion rights, climate action, and education funding.
But even inside Democratic circles, unease is growing.
“The enthusiasm gap is real,” one Democratic strategist admitted privately. “People like Sherrill, but they don’t feel inspired by her. Ciattarelli has managed to make himself the voice of frustration — and that’s a dangerous position for us.”
A Race That Could Redefine New Jersey
New Jersey hasn’t elected a Republican governor since Chris Christie in 2013.
But now, for the first time in over a decade, the GOP has a clear shot.
And it’s not just because of national trends — it’s because of the cracks showing inside the Democratic machine itself.
Mayor Everett Garnto’s defection isn’t merely a headline.
It’s a symbol of the quiet rebellion brewing inside blue America’s suburbs.
A rebellion not built on ideology — but exhaustion.
“I’ve seen what happens when one party runs everything,” Garnto said after the rally. “People lose hope. Businesses close. Families leave. We can do better. We must do better.”
As chants of “Jack! Jack! Jack!” filled the gym, Ciattarelli shook Garnto’s hand — a symbolic passing of faith from one generation of public servants to another.
The Takeaway
Whether or not Ciattarelli wins in November, the message from Garfield is clear:
New Jersey voters are done waiting.
Mayor Garnto’s defection marks not just a local story — but a turning point in American politics, where party loyalty is losing to pocketbook reality.
“You can only push people so far,” said Garnto. “And when you ignore them long enough, they walk away.”
And on Thursday night, in a modest gym filled with hundreds of cheering New Jerseyans, that’s exactly what he did.
Ethan Blake is a skilled Creative Content Specialist with a talent for crafting engaging and thought-provoking narratives. With a strong background in storytelling and digital content creation, Ethan brings a unique perspective to his role at TheArchivists, where he curates and produces captivating content for a global audience.
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